New Barn

These are a bit late, but I wanted to share some pictures of the hoop building/barn we helped side this fall. Most of these are cellphone pics- not the highest quality, but at least we've got some memory of it going up!

I'm definitely feeling older with heights...I used to scale scaffolding like a monkey. Now I've found I need to cling to any solid surface with my knees shaking like a new sailor gaining their sea legs. J seemed to not have this fear as you'll see in coming pics! We put a few layers of scaffolding on top of a trailer and moved it around as needed. Worked quite slick!


We had some absolutely gorgeous weather- unseasonably warm many of the days we were out. Here's a pic of Nana and Emily gathering apples from the trees by the lower garden:

Another one of them out with us- probably handing out refreshments and cheering everyone on. And wondering when in the world to start dinner. We would be out until we couldn't see things anymore...a few nights we'd end up getting the skidsteer or pickup lights on and tried to get an extra 15-20mins which would turn into another hour or so. :)


J and his acrobatics. He's on top of the area where the large doors are...and is holding on to the top of the hoop. No problem, obviously! (Everyone else is sweating below!)



Squeezing in those last few minutes at night. Dad in the skidsteer, J in the bucket:


Back of the barn pretty much finished- we added a couple of side pieces later after finishing the front. The doors went up a week or two later as well.


Emily driving the truck with J- she was quite thrilled:


Nana helping Papa get another sheet while we're up on the scaffolding. He got a new saw that cut through all of the steel siding like butter- definitely made the job easier. We would get measurements, he'd cut the sheet and I'd either be down below, helping ferry siding and handing things up to J and screwing it in down below or else up with J as we got higher. One day got pretty windy- not fun!


J making everyone nervous again, putting a new light in. He ended up standing up on the top there, just hanging onto the pole a bit as he worked. It kept getting darker and darker.... I can't remember what the deal was, or if we actually got the thing working that night or not.


Dusk arriving too soon, as usual. You can see most of the front is finished in this pic. I wasn't able to take a good finished pic as it was too dark by then:



Here are a few pics I took the next time I was out. The door on the left went up not too long after:



Here's the back with the doors on. You'll be able to see the mistake more clearly in this picture. Dad was given two different shades of steel, which we totally did not notice until the next day. Argh! By then, nobody cared since it was the back and we certainly didn't want to tear it all down. He did get more sheets because of the error and will possibly be able to use some for the old garage.



They're quite pleased with their new building. They've been planning it for a couple years and got it set up inside how they want which makes separating/loading cows much easier than in the past. The siding definitely made the hoop building look more barn-like. I do miss seeing the old barn at times, although I'm getting used to this one now.

Summer Review

Update time!

I figured I'd share some pictures- a little of what we were up to this summer:

Mama-made suit:



Sundress with matchy doll dress:


New summer bed set with pillow I made to match (I can't remember the tutorial I used for the butterflies):


Short haircut!


Earrings for a birthday girl!


A brief vacation to Fort Sisseton in South Dakota:







While we're posting about Sammy...she had minor surgery this summer to remove some growths from around her eyes. She had to put up with the cone for a whole 10 days, but we spoiled her rotten at the apartment to make up for it!



Fall is in full swing here. We've started a new co-op every other Wednesday and are on week 3 of our own homeschool semester. Our favorite subject at the moment is Botany for science. We have plants and leaves and microscopes scattered about the house which suits E just fine. She's always collecting bits and pieces out on walks anyway, so we're just adding to them! J started a PT postal route along with the managing job and has been busy training in the past few weeks. We're settling into routines again and enjoying the cooler weather.

I'll post again soon with some pics from our 3 week trip to DC!

Odette

E chose to be Odette from Swan Lake this year. She chose the Barbie version...we had checked out a beautifully illustrated ballet book from the library which had another version- a close 2nd (and the one I was rooting for!). Link to a pic from the movie.

In typical 'Sarah' fashion I did not start this involved costume until a couple days before. I got the base done that night and did the rest the day of (with a lot of help from Aunt Cassie!). I had just finished the swap that Fri/Sat. before and had whipped up my sister Lyzzy's belated bday present early on in the week so I had good excuses :) Cassie made the crown too(with J's help)- good thing she had office Halloween or I would have been sunk :D Nana and Papa came over that evening too- it was a good night (E's first Halloween treating out on the town...we usually have a community room party that is poorly attended and just go around the building but this year we decided to forego the party).

I used the Jalie leotard pattern as the base and went to it from there...netting and tulle under the lining and overskirt/etc. Heat sealed organza, dyed feathers, etc. If anyone has q's on anything you can comment or email...I'm bad about comments sometimes though-not seeing them for a month! :) Sad, I know.

Lots of pics! I didn't bother editing- sorry for blurs/red eye/etc!
Pumpkin carving and pics:



Mine:

J's:


Halloween night:


J and I find this pic humorous...some sort of ninja pose :)

At her favorite librarian's house:

Was a perfect night for treating! Spooky moon pic:

Pics of the finished costume (I sewed the rest of the armbands and painted the bodice ribbons yesterday...this will be a well loved dress up costume for quite a while!):





I had her crown upside down...heh. E noticed later, Cassie noticed right away this evening :D

Poorly captured action photos...

Her bird/swan moves:


And her 'Ivan'...fun boy ballet jumps:


Quite pleased with ourselves over here- although I am glad it's over and I can breathe!

Some of my fav. fabrics :)

They're not HTF, but that's ok w/me! I got these from another sewingmama who was destashing...I loved them the moment I saw them and hadn't happened upon them for sale until hers! I knew a tunic and legging set were in order for the coordinating fabrics!



And my practice pair of leggings (I redrafted an Otto pattern and wanted to test in on some not-so-special fabric)


She loves the fabric of these...it's for valentine's day, but I figured there was plenty for these leggings too. Closeup of the fabric:

I'm getting there on her fall/winter wardrobe! I have one planned dress left...then a few pairs of leggings once I get my Jalie/kwiksew patterns from the coop. A holiday dress, but I'll probably leave off on that until closer to then... She is planning on being Mulan for halloween, so we shall see how that comes together!

Thanks for stopping by :D